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FILE # 18-4002 January16, 2018 Page 2 of 8 Review Parameters The proposed residential development is a departure from the CMP guiding of this site for commercial office use. For this reason, staff recommends that the Planning Commission's review should proceed by considering the following two basic questions: Is this property a location where the City should depart from the current Comprehensive Plan guidance and allow for high density residential development? 2. If so, what are appropriate standards for such a development? Planning Commission's primary focus should be on whether the proposed type and density of development is appropriate for this specific property. Conformity with the Orono 2008-2030 Community Management Plan The net development density based on 56 units on the 2.55 acre parcel would be 21.9 units per acre. The highest density anticipated by the Comprehensive Plan is High Density Residential at 10-15 units per acre. Met Council and Density. In approving Orono's 2008-2030 CMP, Met Council took into account that Orono guided specific properties for higher density sewered development (3- 7, 7-10, 4-15 and 10-15 units per acre) in order to offset the long -planned sewered development at low densities in the Shoreland areas. In effect, the higher -density guiding of a select number of strategically located properties established a numerical `buffer' which allowed properties previously added to the MUSA and guided/planned for 2 -acre minimum lot sizes, to be developed as historically planned. Over the last several years, properties guided for higher density development have been reguided via amendments of the CMP to lower densities, and the `buffer' established in the 2008-2030 CMP has functionally been eliminated. Some of that buffer was replaced by the recently approved Orono Senior Housing (17-3948) project to the east. In addition, to meet work force housing goals in the Comprehensive Plan, and the desire to move density away from areas where it is currently guided, i.e. the Navarre Area, reguiding the subject parcel may benefit the city long term. Conformity with RPUD Zoning District Requirements The property was zoned to B-6 PUD in June of 2003. Permitted uses were those listed in the B-6 Highway Commercial District, offices, banks, motels, and hotels. There are no zoning districts that permit apartment buildings by right or by conditional use. To support the development as proposed, staff anticipates rezoning to a RPUD. The RPUD District standards are found in Zoning Code Sections 78-621 thru 78-629, attached as Exhibit G. The RPUD district standards indicate an RPUD site must be at least 5 acres in area, but does allow for smaller sites under specific conditions, as noted in the code excerpt below: Sec. 78-626. - Development standards. Within the RPUD district all development shall be in compliance with the following: (emphasis added in bold) (1) Minimum area; shoreland district limitation. Each site proposed for rezoning to RPUD shall have a minimum area of five acres, excluding areas within a designated wetland,